Reduced roles for Colts pair

December 10, 2005

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Although the Indianapolis Colts remain the NFL's lone unbeaten team, the season has been bittersweet for wide receiver Brandon Stokley and linebacker Rob Morris. Both Stokley -- who caught 68 passes for 1,077 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Colts a year ago -- and Morris have seen their playing time cut significantly this season as the team has rolled to a 12-0 record going into Sunday's game against Jacksonville (9-3). Stokley has been the victim of opposing defenses trying to slow down the Colts' high-powered offense. With teams dropping seven and sometimes eight defenders back into pass coverage through the early portion of the Colts schedule, offensive coordinator Tom Moore opted to go more often with a two-tight end alignment that has featured Dallas Clark and Bryan Fletcher. While the ploy has worked from the team's standpoint -- the Colts lead the league with 366 points -- Stokley's 2005 stats have dropped to 34 receptions for 392 yards and one touchdown. "The last few weeks in row I haven't played a lot. This week might be a lot, I don't know," he said. "Some games it's 60 (plays) and some games it's four. Just as long as we keep winning." Stokley admitted, however, that it's been tough to stay prepared on a game-by-game basis. "It's tough, because you like to get in the flow of the offense and the flow of the game, catch a few passes, get hit around a little bit," he said. "So it makes it tough when you're not in there a lot. But that's the position I'm in." Morris, meanwhile, has been the primary backup to linebacker Gary Brackett this season after starting 60 games the previous four years. Morris, the Colts' top pick in the 2000 draft, was released at the end of the 2004 season but signed a one-year contract with the team last summer after deals with other teams fell through. He has played primarily on special teams this season, although he played most of the fourth quarter at linebacker in last week's 35-3 win over Tennessee. "It's tough not to be out there. Anybody on this team wants to be a starter," Morris said. "But it was fun to get out there and play (against the Titans), but I still feel like I am part of this team. I still feel like I contribute a lot." While Stokley's future with the Colts is assured after he signed a five-year, $17 million contract extension a year ago, Morris might find himself on the outside looking in next season. "After what happened last year, I'm not going to deal with it," he said. "I thought I had a pretty good year (in 2004) and played well, so all I can do is just play hard and do what I've been doing," he said. Colts notes

Outside linebacker Cato June did not practice Friday and will be a game-time decision at Jacksonville on Sunday. June, who has been bothered by a sports hernia most of the season, suffered minor knee and ankle injuries in the Colts' win over Tennessee last week. He practiced Thursday after sitting out Wednesday's workout.

If June is unable to play Sunday, second-year linebacker Gilbert Gardner is expected to start. Gilbert, who played at Purdue, has been practicing with the first-team defense this week.

Cornerback Nick Harper, who missed last week's game with a strained groin, practiced Thursday and Friday and is expected to play on Sunday.